Playing for Pizza
51. Playing for Pizza, by John Grisham. 258 pages. (2007)
Grade: B
Rick Dockery, third-string quarterback for Cleveland, must flee the NFL (he is receiving death theats, except from Denver Broncos fans). The only job his agent can find him is at the Panthers - the Parma Panthers of the Italian league. They are desperate to win the Italian Super Bowl, and usually their American players (limited to three) are from Division III and II schools - so a player with NFL experience is very welcome. The Americans are paid as much as two or three thousand euros a year, while the Italians play "for pizza" after the game, and the love of the sport.
This little novel is a love letter to Italy. Very nearly as much time is spent on the wonders of Italian cooking as on the details of the Panthers' games.
Grade: B
Rick Dockery, third-string quarterback for Cleveland, must flee the NFL (he is receiving death theats, except from Denver Broncos fans). The only job his agent can find him is at the Panthers - the Parma Panthers of the Italian league. They are desperate to win the Italian Super Bowl, and usually their American players (limited to three) are from Division III and II schools - so a player with NFL experience is very welcome. The Americans are paid as much as two or three thousand euros a year, while the Italians play "for pizza" after the game, and the love of the sport.
This little novel is a love letter to Italy. Very nearly as much time is spent on the wonders of Italian cooking as on the details of the Panthers' games.